The Underneath
by pandorag1ft
Summary: Different kind of stress relief


**The Underneath**

A heavy sleep weighed on the two traveler's as they stepped carefully down the rocky path. Dusk fell quietly as shadows rose between the narrow tree line. Xena could hear water ahead of them but her own exhaustion was causing her to slow down. The old,worn path had not been used as muchas she remembered and the day was extremely hot. Her normally chatty companion had not spoken more than a few words for hours, her concentration kept to the rocky ground. The stream was close, the lanky warrior could feel it but it seemed to grow further away each step they took. Impatient with the time and the weariness she felt in her body and could see in her lover's she came to a stop without warning. Gabrielle stumbled into her back with a dull grunt.

"Really, Xena?" Gabby bowed her head again with a wince at the sound of her own voice. Her eyes were dark, pain furrowed her brow. Xena placed a hand on each side of the frustrated woman's neck. Sighing she could feel the tension in the fine muscles beneath her fingers. A tight, rapid pulse pounded through the sensitive tips and seemly through her veins.

"Almost there, can you keep going?" The worry in the intense woman's voice barely hidden. It sparked an flash of annoyance in the normally calm bard. She looked up through squinted eyes focusing that emotion to a razor point. "Yes...Damn it." Her voice rough with strain as she shrugged the gentle hands away and started a stiff legged stride away from her bemused friend.

"Ooookay then." Exasperation colored the murmured reply as Xena watched the still pleasant sway of hips striding away from her. A fresh wave of energy gave her a little more strength to turn and follow. Xena was regretting taking this route. A quicker, simpler road had been near two nights ago but she had wanted to avoid the villages it ran through. They had not had good luck in this part of Thessalle but they need to get around it somehow. She knew when the dark circles first appeared under the blonds eyes yesterday, a bluish greenish smudge that only highlighted the clover green of the eyes above, that they needed to stop soon. Not just for a night but at least three until Gabby's pain passed. The headaches did not come as often as they had when she first rode with Xena but when they did they lasted the same amount of time and were as hard as the first.

Gabrielle stubbornly continued on ahead of the warrior. Xena watched her with a mix of pride and head slapping exasperation. She decided as she noticed Gabby steady herself against a tree that tonight she would try a new technique. A healer, she had been confident and wise, had shown Xena what she would need and how to perform the treatment at no charge after she had noticed Gabby on a particularly bad night. Xena hoped it would work as much as she hoped that the after effects of the headache would not be altered. Gabrielle always seemed so...eager after her spells. Xena wet suddenly dry lips at the thought of what could be in store for her.

"How about here, Xe?" Gabby had found the stream and a clearing. Massive trees with long, hanging branches covered the cooler spot. The limbs overlapped above almost like a natural roof. The water flowed fresh and tasted as sweet as any either woman had found. A smile curve of Xena's sensual lips and Gabby felt an answering ghost of a grin curve her own. She raised her eyes to the pale blue gaze and relaxed a tiny bit. The bags were dropped unceremoniously in the middle of the clearing. Argo had been set loose weeks before. Xena was very aware of the hole that left not just having to bear the load of belongings but not having her old friend with them.

Gabrielle began to attempt to remove her clothes. Her arms felt weak and she could barely raise them over her head. As she tried to put her shirt free from the top of her head it became trapped and a small muffled giggle met Xena's ears. She grinned and wrapped her hands around the material caging the blonds head. "Let Me." Gabby shivered at the tone. Her head still ached with a pressure as though the Gods themselves were tightening a band around her skull but another not unwelcome feeling came upon her. It was almost too faint to notice but she knew that like a small flame it would become strong enough to light the day.

After Xena tugged the shirt off of Gabby's sweating face she quickly divested the bard of the remaining clothing. Gabby opened her eyes to a vision of a comfortably naked warrior. "Goddess" Gabby allowed herself to whisper. Even that echoed in her increasingly throbbing head. She wanted to lay down and sleep but Xena led her to the cool stream. Carefully, without bumping or jarring the stiff woman, Xena knelt down and pulled Gabrielle to follow. With hands that normally grabbed and hit, dealt in death and blood, she bathed her lover. Gabby attempted several times to stop her, to return the favor. Her hands spread silky drops across the raven beauty's mid drift in slow semi circles. Xena clasped her hands together to prevent her from continuing. "No, My bard, let Me. I want to try something and you will let Me." The command was as firm as the fingers cleansing the toned skin. Xena did not wait for a reply, the sighs and gradual release of tension in the warm body played with her hands was enough of a reply.

After Xena was satisfied by the glow in Gabby's skin she finished her own bathing quickly and led the docile woman to a bedroll. Xena spread the bedroll out and knelt on top of it. Holding her hand out to the standing woman she stated "Come to Me." It was not a question or request and Gabrielle did not hesitate in obeying. She knelt beside her and allowed the unknown to overtake her. Strong hands guided her to her stomach, her legs stretched out and arms loose beside her. Gabby felt exposed and a rippling awareness across her back. Fingers traced delicate patterns around, up and down, all around her velvet skin. Her head still throbbed but a distinct lightness began to fill it.

Xena observed the slight changes in the body in her control. She molded and guided each soft breath, each quick gasp, each light shift and unconscious roll. A steady glide and sweep of her hands increasingly became a firmer, harder massage into the wire tight flesh around Gabby's shoulders. As Gabby's shoulders began to lose their slight hunch and she began to relax into Xena's touch, Xena left one hand spread wide across the small of her back as she reached into her nearby bag with the other. She watched Gabrielle carefully as she sought the item she had kept hidden from the nosy bard. Seeing what Xena planned to use might not scare her but the healer had said it would "hide her mind". Whatever that meant. Gabrielle did not move except to squirm beneath the weight placed on her. Xena grinned remembering how Her lover enjoyed the pressure.

Finally Xena managed to retrieve the kit in the deep bag. Opening it with an agile finger she set it close beside her. She leaned into the sweet heat of the now panting blond. The headache remained but mostly forgotten under the long administrations of Xena. A throaty laugh came to Gabrielle's ears as she felt the taller woman straddle her hips. She was amused and delighted to feel the moist effects of the wait. Gabby attempted to flip over but a forceful grip in her hair prevented her. A wire sharp arousal tightened the muscles in her center and a fierce desire rose rapidly to the surface of her mind. It almost shut the nagging pain out. Xena kept her hand wrapped in the satin tresses of her lover as she rocked her hips to hold the woman down. Rocking her hips caused a painful, sexy stimulation that almost distracted her from her task. Shaking her head and chiding herself. Knowing that her own relief was imminent Xena focused her will on the prepared flesh below her hands.

The box contained six long, thin needles. They were unlike anything Xena had seen before and felt unlike anything she had ever experienced. The rush, the euphoria that had sharpened her mind when the healer had pierced her skin had filled her until she believed she was, could and should fly beyond the sky. It was exhilarating and frightening. Everything and nothing all in a single instant. The young woman beneath her clasping hand trusted her. Xena knew but could not believe it. Anything she could and would, eventually, do with, to and for her lay bare before her.

"Stay still, this is Mine." Xena whispered in Gabby's ear as she squeezed her back. "This is Mine." She whispered again as she slid a hand beneath Gabby's firm breasts. "And this..." She dipped a cool finger, long and slim, tracing it through her lover's slick pussy. As quickly as she trailed her fingers across the rapidly heated skin, she ran them across equally trembling thighs and back across Gabby's back. "Right?" She asked sharply, slapping hunched shoulders as she repeated the question.

The slaps rang in Gabby's ears as her clit twitched with each sting. "Ugh...yes." She tried to shout as her heartbeat drowned out the sound. As abruptly as she began Xena stopped. Pinching the skin on Gabby's shoulders she commanded again, "Do Not Move." Gabby froze waiting and trying to madly prepare for what was to come. She dared not turn her head to look. Only if she were directed to. Only with permission. So many feelings to focus on, too many at once. Her mind tripped and flipped, rising and cresting on an imaginary wave. Up and down, around and upside down she rose and descended as Xena prepared her skin for the first razor sharp needle. As Gabby felt the sting and pressure an enfolding cloud of pleasure wrapped around her. She could not tell what Xena was doing but the feeling was both enveloping and releasing. The pain was easy and a faint hum began in her center. She groaned and thrust into the blanket below her.

Xena's battle grin blazed across her sensual mouth. The pink tip of her tongue ran slowly from one needle hub to the other. She had made a simple but effective star design over Gabby's shoulder. The tension and dark smudges had disappeared from her lover. Xena pulled Gabby's hips up and with a steady thrust entered two fingers into the greedy heat between her thighs. Thrusting and riding against her lover's hip Xena powerfully brought Gabrielle to a quick climax. First one, then two, and more aftershocks after came over the rising bard as a cry apart and within herself left her full lips. Xena took her pleasure from Gabby with rolling waves, hugging the fair body close.

Gabrielle lay spent and happily exhausted on her stomach until Xena carefully removed each needle. Xena rolled her over when the task was complete. Her hand wrapped again in the blond strands as she stared into the emerald eyes. "Feel better?" She murmured with her forehead pressed against her friends. "Yes...but You might want to keep those around...could come back any time." She slid strong arms tightly around the deceptively slim shoulders. A broad, relieved smile pressed into Xena's delicious neck.


End file.
